Marcantonio Bobba

Marcantonio Bobba was born in Casale Monferrato, the son of Palatine Count Alberto Bobba.[1] His family was related to the signori of Rosignano Monferrato.[1]

He was educated at the University of Turin, becoming a doctor of both laws.[1] There, he gained the favor of Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, who made him a senator of Turin.[1]

He was ordained as a priest around 1556.[1] On June 14, 1557, he was elected to be Bishop of Aosta.[1] He was consecrated as a bishop in Rome by Cardinal Giovanni Angelo de' Medici.[1] The Duke of Savoy named him ambassador of the Duchy of Savoy to the Holy See in 1559.[1] He arrived at the Council of Trent on January 17, 1563, participating in the Council until its close.[1] He was also the Duchy of Savoy's ambassador to the Council.[1] From June 21, 1563, he was a member of the Council's commission on canons and marriage.[1]

Pope Pius IV made him a cardinal priest in the consistory of March 12, 1565.[1] He participated in the papal conclave of 1565-66 that elected Pope Pius V.[1] He received the red hat and the titular church of San Silvestro in Capite on February 8, 1566.[1] Together with Cardinals Giovanni Ricci, Giovanni Francesco Commendone, and Alessandro Sforza, was named by Pope Pius V inspector of rivers, ports and public roads of Rome.[1] He was a participant in the papal conclave of 1572 that elected Pope Gregory XIII.[1] On June 2, 1572, he opted for the titular church of San Marcello al Corso.[1]

He was a good friend of Cardinal Charles Borromeo.[1]

He died in Rome on March 18, 1575. He was buried in Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri.[1]

While bishop, he was the principal consecrator of:[2]

• Hildebrand Riedmatten, Bishop of Sion (1569); and
• Carlo Montigli, Archbishop of Amalfi (1570).

• Catholic Church in Italy

• Carlo Tenivelli (1785). Biografia Piemontese (in Italian). Decade seconda. Torino: Briolo. pp. 235–250.